12.19.2013

inspiration diary: December // holiday edition

our NYC-apartment-sized tree...shorter days means earlier holiday lights in the house!

i've outgrown many things since my childhood, but not Christmas. 

i start to get a bit giddy around mid-November. then, after Thanksgiving, it really begins. i'm not referring to the gilded shop windows on 5th Avenue – as breathtakingly beautiful as they are – but rather to the corner tree and wreath 'shops' that pop up every other block all over NYC. oftentimes you're walking down the sidewalk running errands or coming home after work, and you can't help but pass through several cheery aisles of wreaths and balsam firs. big, majestic ones fit for a cathedral-ceiling upper east side penthouse, medium NYC-apartment-sized versions like the one we brought home this year. even Charlie Brown miniatures. and the scent of balsam fir is divine.

this year i also decided i wanted to send real, snail mail holiday cards to friends and family again. sometimes it makes me sad that we live in such an overly digitized world. there's something just so uniquely wonderful in the act of sitting down, writing a personal note and well wishes to those you love, and sealing and stamping the envelope to take to the post. in addition to doing a little to support the postal service, i've always loved receiving a card in the mail with the unmistakable handwriting of a faraway friend. (do we even recognize each others' handwriting anymore?)

i was listening to NPR the other day and the program hosts invited listeners to call in to talk about the best gift they ever received. one woman told a beautiful and moving story about a pair of diamond stud earrings that her father had given her mother years before. when her mother passed away from illness, her father re-gifted those precious earrings to her one Christmas. and now, whenever she wears the earrings, she loves telling this story to others.

so i wonder, what was the best gift you've ever received? what are you preparing / planning for the holidays?

P.S.: i'm a quarter of the way through The Goldfinch, and it is the perfect winter/holiday read. i had no idea it was such a quintessential New York novel, but it's been a delight to revisit my city through Donna Tartt's intricate narrative...

11 comments:

  1. I love your tree! My apartment in Brooklyn is so little, we joked about just taping a tree branch to the wall Charlie Brown style and calling it a day. Maybe next year we'll have a little more space, but for now our washi tape tree looks pretty good :)

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    1. thanks erin :) i love that the confines of nyc apartments inspire resourcefulness and creativity!

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  2. Ugh, I had the BEST intentions about decorating this year, and... nothing. I still may pick up this IKEA Christmas "tree":

    http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10254435/

    I just ordered "The Goldfinch" for my Christmas travel. I also picked up "Goodbye to All That" for the trip but am already almost done- it is great, if you are looking for another NYC read.

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    1. i love that piece by Didion - i need to read some more of the other essays in her collection!

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  3. Love "The Goldfinch" even if I've never been to NYC! It's such a good read!
    One of the best gift I get almost every christmas is family stories from my mom's side. Our family is spread out and hearing my uncle talk of hardships and fun times while drinking punch and eating delicacies is the best.

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    1. sounds like the best kind of family time - happy holidays Aissa!

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  4. Happy holidays! I just returned from a 24-hour vacation at a remote farmhouse with a friend - delicious food, great company, and complete relaxation. Will head off to Singapore to see my mother shortly, which will be wonderful too. I suspect my favourite gift this Christmas will be the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag I bought for myself ;) That, and the ability to take time off and have a vacation.

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    1. happy holidays Ammu and safe travels :) report back on your MG bag please :)

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  5. Love your tree! Sadly some housing codes here in Philly prohibit live trees in apartment buildings so I can't have one. The days of big presents in our family are long gone now that my sister and I are "all grown up" but I feel like just going home for Christmas is such a treat and I know not everyone has that luxury. Plus my mom has a giant live tree so I can't feel too bad about not having one of my own. Happy Holidays!

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  6. Love your tree! Sadly some building codes prohibit live trees in certain apartment buildings in Philly (fire hazard) so I can't have one. The days of big presents in our family are over now that my sister and I are "grown up" but I feel like just going home for the holidays is such a treat and I know not everyone has that luxury. Plus my mom always has a giant live tree so I can't feel bad about not having one of my own! Happy Holidays!

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  7. All the more reason to buckle down and buy that book. On my flight from US to HK, I saw it quite a few times from multiple passengers reading it. Guess it's just that good! Love the tree and I totally agree with your sentiments on the handwritten cards. Happy holidays to you too!

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